THE 2019 GRAND NATIONAL RUNNERS & ODDS

Every year a maximum of 40 runners line up at the start of the Aintree Grand National and 600 million people worldwide tune in to watch them tackle the 30 notoriously difficult fences in a bid to put themselves into the history books. But how do those particular runners and riders make it to Grand National day?

A horse will be entered into the Grand National if it meets the minimum criteria for qualification and the owner and trainer feel that their horse is capable of handling the race. Not all horses are suited to the long Aintree course or have the necessary jumping ability. Even if a horse gets entered that doesn't guarantee a place at the starting line as frequently over 100 get entered but there is a maximum field of just 40 for the race.

The race is open to horses aged seven and upwards that have been placed first, second, third or fourth in a chase of three miles or more and who are allotted a rating of at least 120 by the BHA Handicapper.

The entry date for the race is always at the end of January, with the names and numbers announced by the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) the following day. In 2018 there were 105 entries, 110 entries in 2017, 2016 had 126 entries, an increase of 28 on the 98 entered in 2015.

The BHA Head Of Handicapping then takes the list of entries and frames the weights. In other words, he decides which runners will carry the heaviest weights and which will carry the least. The handicap system is designed to give every horse a fair chance of winning the race, good horses will carry more weight than those perceived to have less ability.

The maximum weight any horse can carry in the Grand National will be 11st 10lbs and the minimum is 10st. Each runner's weight will be largely determined by their OR (Official Rating) and the higher the rating, the higher the weight. Although the Grand National is the only race in Britain in which the Handicapper can ignoring the official ratings if he wishes, often to the consternation of owners and trainers.

Horses are then put in descending order from the highest to the lowest weighted and that also determines their race number. The top-weighted horse is number one, second heaviest weighted horse is number two and so on.

The weights are then announced, and from then on a series of ‘Declaration Stages’ or ‘Forfeit Stages' take place. At each of these stages, potential Grand National Runners can be withdrawn from the proceedings by their trainers and as they are removed and the entries get whittled down so even horses that have not initially made the Top 40 may now do so as entries above them are taken out. In 2018 the top weighted horse was Definitly Red but he was then withdrawn at the first forfeit stage.

The very last declaration stage takes place at 10am on the Thursday immediately before Grand National day. This is the point where the top 40 Grand National runners will be near completion along with four additional reserves.

The following day, Friday, by 1pm any non-runners must be declared and be replaced by one of the four reserves. This is also the point where any horses who were previously allocated weights of less than 10st will have their weight increased to meet requirements.

Three runners were withdrawn at this stage in 2018 and replaced with reserves. However, on the morning of the National two more were taken out due to the heavy ground.

This resulted in 38 declared Grand National runners who lined up for the 2018 Randox Health Grand National.

There has to be a Top Weight for the Grand National and that runner will always carry 11st 10lbs. For 2018 the honour goes to the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Blaklion.

Last year's 4th place finisher was always aimed at the National and originally started further down the list giving him a solid chance to improve on last year's performance.

He then moved in to the number two position, behind Minella Rocco after the second confirmation stage when Gold Cup participants Definitely Red, Edwulf and Outlander were taken out.

That left him on 11-09 but at the final declaration stage on Friday 13th, Minella Rocco was withdrawn due to concerns over the course which had turned Heavy, Soft in places and Blaklion took the top spot and his weight went up by 1lb so that he starts the races on 11-10.

Noel Fehily was his jockey last year but this time around the task falls to Sam Twiston-Davies, son of the trainer and a fantastic jockey who led Blaklion to a second place finish last time out at Haydock.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said: “He'll be ridden with a little bit more restraint. He was only beaten eight lengths last year.

“I know he has gone up 8lb, but with a bit more restraint hopefully he'll be there.”

Since his run at Haydock he has undergone a wind op which connections are hoping will help him to stay the course.

Twiston-Davies' assistant Carl Llewellyn said: “He hasn't missed a day's work and we couldn't be happier with his physical condition – he looks really well.

“He was impressive in the Becher Chase earlier this season. His jumping was superb and very accurate – he won as he liked.

“If he can be in that sort of form and jump as well as that, then hopefully he will have a good chance.”

Blaklion is currently one of four joint favourites at odds of 12/1 but this may change nearer to the race time.

This year's race favourite is hotly contested between Total Recall, Anibale Fly and Blaklion but right now it looks like Blaklion will go off on April 14th as the favourite.

This is unusual because Blaklion is the second highest weighted horse of this year's race and will carry 11-09 which statistically makes it very unlikely that he can win the race. That said, Many Clouds managed to win carrying the same weight in 2015 but he was most definitely the exception and not the rule. In fact the last horse to carry that weight or more was the great Red Rum back in 1974 when he won with 12st on his back.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Blaklion has a solid chasing record, winning or places in 10 of his 15 chase starts. He has had an impeccable record for the last few years and can claim a second place in the Grand National Trial at Haydock in February and a Becher Chase win over the Grand National fences at Aintree in December, among his recent achievements.

He also has the added bonus of having already run in the Grand National when he finished in fourth place last year with jockey Noel Fehily on board. This year however it looks like it will be staying in the family and Sam Twiston-Davies will be on board the race favourite as he bids to go three places better in 2018 and clinch his first Grand National win as a jockey.

And while Blaklion may be in fine form, he has had a minor operation since his last trip out at Haydock with Nigel Twiston-Davies reporting “He's had soft cauterisation of his palate, which is a very minor one. We gave him a galloping scope and that's what came up.”

He added: “It was always the plan to miss Cheltenham and all is going well. He's in great form.”

Blaklion is a general 12/1 chance with most bookmakers to win the Grand National in 2018.

The criteria for professional or amateur jockeys wanting to take part in the race are very specific. They must have ridden not less than 15 winners in chases or hurdle races under the Rules of Racing and/or the Rules of the Irish National Hunt Committee and ridden not less than 10 of these winners in chases.

A champion jockey like A.P. McCoy who primarily rode horses for super owner J.P. McManus had his pick of horses in the race before he retired. Top jockey Barry Geraghty is now the retained rider for McManus. The likes of Davy Russell and Ruby Walsh are other top jockeys who can often choose their rides and odds will tumble on any horses chosen by the pair.

Amateur jockeys are now a rarity in the Grand National compared with races early days. Sam Whaley-Cohen is probably the most famous amateur rider in recent years and he enjoys a record over the Aintree fences which is the envy of many a professional.

Other jockeys will usually ride for the yards that retain them or a trainer will engage their services just for this race. In recent years a number of high profile jockeys have missed the race due to injuries picked up at the Cheltenham festival which is the last major National Hunt meeting before Aintree. In 2018, Ruby Walsh suffered a leg fracture and Leighton Aspell suffered a neck injury that put them out of contention for the Grand National.

Don't be put off backing a less well known jockey or even one who has never ridden the course before. In 2013 jockey Ryan Mania won the race at his first attempt!

This year the Grand National sees a number of jockeys making their debut including James Bowen who won the Coral Welsh National earlier in the year, Bryony Frost, Sam Coltherd and Rachael Blackmore.